Pro Golfer 69,
I read this part of your post with interest:
"Interesting about the ex short haul CSM's not letting you drink on the bus. I know what I’d be saying if they told me I couldn't have a beer on the bus after an 18-hour tour of duty (go forth and multiply!) They must be ex Melbourne CSM's (the most anal morons on the planet)"
Without wanting to sound 'anal', here are the following problems associated with drinking the bus (and no, I'm not a short haul CSM):
1) You are in uniform. Doesn't matter if you're at work, on duty, or otherwise, you are 'seen' by the public to be at work. Just like a police officer would be naturally deemed to be 'at work' if they wore their uniform.
What - you don't get seen by the public? No windows on your bus then? What about when you have to walk through the hotel lobby? Think QF wants a set of boozy crew tumbling through the lobby?
Whilst I have no doubt that after a long duty you all DESERVE a drink (as we all do), couldn't you at least wait till you got into the room? Or better still, wait for other crew to join you in any room for a good old fashioned room party? In the privacy of your hotel room, no one knows what you get up to (unless, of course, you invite the general public IN
)
2) Drinking in uniform - in ANY airline - is verboten (except maybe Aeroflot, but that's another story...) Even going so far as to be seen PURCHASING booze in a liquor store is enough, in most airlines, to be given a reprimand.
Apparently - airline crew don't drink (that's the image airlines want to portray) - this, despite the fact, that most of management's actions these days DRIVE US TO DRINK!
Back to the topic at hand (hic)...
Fact is, if any CSM pulled you up on this, they WOULD BE IN THE RIGHT TO DO SO! And don't think they wouldn't report you for it - for it is this reason why they enforce this requirement - to save their own skin!
How do I know this?
Well...let me tell you a story...
I used to work for Air NZ as ground staff (years ago - but not much has changed). With time, I got to know many of the Long Haul characters that made up the Intl flights - both 'anal' and otherwise.
One day, I met an arriving flt in and once all passengers had disembarked, the ISD (Air NZ's version of CSM) asked me over. She explained that a passenger was not upgraded ex AKL with his u/g certificate, even though a seat was available.
I said "Why didn't you upgrade him onboard?"
She said, "Oh I'm not allowed to - anyway, my job is worth more to me than that!"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'd risk getting dobbed in for it"
"Huh?"
"That's right. The opportunities for promotion are so limited here (this was pre-2001) that other crew will dob you in for the slightest infraction so that it releases a new ISD position on board"
This story was relayed to me a number of times (citing various stories) by both ISD's and ISC's (CSS) over the years. Both from those who were cautious, and those who weren't and got demoted/punished.
SO - at the risk of sounding like a nagging mother - look over your shoulder Pro Golfer 69. Be careful. The good old days of flying are gone, as cart elevator indicates here:
"A lot of crew seem to be in trouble up here,everyone talks about people who have been in trouble. The office people here are all nice to your face,but everyone knows they are very quick to pull you up on the smallest things. I just try to avoid them by coming in to the office as close to sign on as I can."
Do we have to like it? No - of course not. But why risk putting ourselves in a position where we risk being attacked - if not by management, then by our 'colleagues'?